THE ANTI-SATISFACTIONIST; OR THE Salvation of Sinners BY THE FREE GRACE OF GOD: BEING AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLODE THE PROTESTANT, AS WELL AS POPISH, NOTION OF SALVATION BY HUMAN MERIT, AND TO PROMOTE THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF THE SUFFICIENCY OF DIVINE MERCY FOR ALL WHO ARE PENITENT. IN THREE PARTS. BY RICHARD WRIGHT. Prove all things. PAUL. * Read, examine, and judge for thyself," He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unte him. SOLOMON Truth is mighty, and whatever be its consequences must always prevail. WISBECH: PRINTED AND SOLD BY F. B. WRIGHT; Sold also by E. Vidler, High Holborn; Symonds, Paternoster Row; Crosby and Co. Stationers' Court; Mawman, Poultry; London: Mozley; Gainsborough; Brooke, Lincoln; Kelsey; Boston; Pigge, Lynn; Kitton, and Annis, Norwich; Sutton, Nottingham; Blundell, Battle; and by all the Booksellers in the Kingdom. 1805. PRICE TO SUBSCRIBERS 5S, TO NONSUBSCRIBERS, 1262.e.12. TO THE FRIENDS OF FREE ENQUIRY, AND OPPOSERS OF POPISH MYSTERY, WHO REGARDING THE NEW TESTAMENT AS THE ONLY STANDARD OF CHRISTIAN FAITH, AND COMMON SENSE AS THE BEST EXPOSITOR OF THE ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES OF RELIGION, HAVE CAST OFF THE YOKE OF HUMAN TRADITION, CREEDS AND SYSTEMS, AND NOBLY DARED TO ADOPT RATIONAL VIEWS OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST; THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE, WITH MUCH RESPECT, INSCRIBED BY THEIR HUMBLE AND DEVOTED SERVANT, THE AUTHOR, IT is long since the writer of the following pages first felt a conviction of the importance of divine truth, and that every thing ought to be sacrificed to the discovery and promotion of it. For years he has felt the persuasion that unless a man can make up his mind to part with his ease, reputation, friends, worldly advantage, and even life itself, should the cause of truth call for such painful sacrifices, he is not fully qualified to act the part of a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. He has long been accustomed to encounter ob·loquy, the loss of valued friends, and many temporal disadvantages, for the sake of a good conscience; still he rejoices in having followed the convictions of his own mind: and is prepared to meet with firmness any reproach or inconvenience to which the publication of this work may subject him. He wishes his readers to be apprised that, if they adopt and profess the sentiments inculcated by him, they ought to prepare themsetves patiently to endure reproach and painful treatment from reputed orthodox christians of the present day. Those who cannot bear to be suspected of heretical pravity, who have not courage to meet the frowns, and bear the reproaches, of those assuming men who monopolize to themselves the title of orthodox and evangelical, had better at once lay aside the use of reason in matters of religion, that they may move on in sectarian trammels without any troublesome convictions; for. if they once begin to bring every religious opinion to the scrutiny of reason, it is highly probable, they will soon become dissatisfied with some part of their creed, and be suspected by their brethren of heresy: yet they should remember that, so far as they sacrifice their reason to the dogmas of a party, they degrade themselves in the scale of being, and act unworthy the character of sincere lovers of truth, of the followers of Jesus, who sacrificed his life in the cause of truth, in opposition to the reputed Orthodoxy of the men of his age. Far more honorable and advantageous will it be found to have truth with reproach, &c. than to slumber on in error, with ignoble ease, amidst the caresses of our religious friends and connexions. |